


A New Era

by EchoesOfOmens



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Another one?? Sorry fellas but yep, F/M, I have no idea where I'm going with this, I just had a idea from Pinterest I really wanted to manifest, Okay so the timeline is probably screwed up, Oops, Profanity, So this is an AU I suppose, Sorry Kiddos!!, sorry - Freeform, whoopsie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-19
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2019-06-10 17:21:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15296358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EchoesOfOmens/pseuds/EchoesOfOmens





	A New Era

It was supposed to be a normal day. I didn't wake up with the intention of drawing the attention of every fucking Gryffindor, Slytherin, and professor within a three-block radius, but here I was. 

I had just cast the class' first Patronus. I grinned, my cheeks flushed as I watched the _Velociraptor_ race around the room, nipping at the other students. After the initial shock of the event, one of the Purebloods screamed. My Patronus came to a stop in front of me, eyeing me with one intelligent, glowing orb. 

 

"What _is_ it?"

In response, three other Muggleborns laughed and started humming the _Jurassic Park_ theme song dramatically. I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor stepped closer, his eyes narrowed behind his glasses. Crows' feet sprouted around his eyes as he frowned. 

 

"Miss Parker?" His voice rippled through the room, drawing my classmates to pause. Under his scrutinous gaze, my Patronus faded into smoky wisps. His eyes flashed with emerald curiosity. 

 

"Yes, Professor?" I forced myself to speak evenly, despite the hammering in my chest. 

 

"You just managed to cast a fully-formed Patronus Charm on your first try. Perhaps you would like to share the memory that you used, as an example?" 

I shrank, unwilling to share the truth. If I were to reveal what I had been thinking about... I shuddered involuntarily. My eyes wandered around the room, towards the incredulous Draco Malfoy. His brows were pulled together, creating two wrinkles on his otherwise pristine face.

 

"Well, you see--it's hard to explain," I muttered. "It's a rather long memory that most wouldn't consider happy, so I don't think it would make a good example." 

Harry Potter nodded wearily. He understood, I supposed. He was the youngest of the professors at Hogwarts. Well, him and Neville Longbottom. They were incredible, everyone loved them. Harry's own Patronus, a stag, was based on a happy memory that he wasn't even sure was real. 

 

"Very well." He swiveled on his shoe, running through more instructions for the rest of the class. I caught Draco watching me more than once, his expression hard and slightly confused. When Harry dismissed us, Draco stayed behind as I gathered my things. 

 

"How on _earth_ did you do that, Parker?" He hissed. 

 

"Draco, honey, there's a little something called, 'talent.' It's incredibly rare, but when it manifests--"

 

"What even _was_ that thing?" Draco interrupted me, his voice dropping once we were the only ones remaining in the classroom. Harry had left for lunch. 

 

"It's called a _Velociraptor_. They were a species of dinosaur that existed millions of years ago." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose as Draco stared on at me. 

 

"It looked like a carnivorous lizard." 

 

"Pretty much." 

Neither of us felt very hungry, so we opted for the Dungeons instead of the Great Hall. We went into our separate rooms to put away our supplies and agreed to eventually meet back in the Common Room.

In the meantime, I sat on my bed, fondly stroking my rosy boa. She was still quite small, and a beautiful pale pinkish white. My father had fought so hard to aquire her. Snow rosy boas are incredibly rare, and he paid a pretty penny for her. She blinked at me, her tongue flicking in and out of her mouth. 

_It'sss good to sssee you, Friend._  

I smiled down at her as she wrapped herself around my hand and fingers. 

 

"I missed you, Aspen." The sound came out as a low hissing sound. I smiled softly. _Draco would lose his shit if he knew a Muggleborn was a Parseltongue_.

 

_I wisshh you would conssider my advicce. Many sssay the word of a ssserpent is lucky._

 

"Especially one such as you." 

The small boa basked at that, her head bumping against my fingers affectionately. 

 

_Have you ssspoken to that... sssilver one? He who wearsss the name of power?_

 

"Draco? He was surprised to see my Patronus. Heck, _I_ was surprised to see my Patronus." I paused, the small snake in my lap gazing at me expectantly. "I don't know how to talk to him. He's gorgeous, but he's also older than me and I doubt he wants anything to do with a Muggleborn like me."

 

_If not, he isss not worth your time. Only an imbicile would sssnub you._  

I laughed self-depreciatingly.

 

"Yeah. I'm a regular Aphrodite, all right."

 

_I would not sssay that. Rather more of a Rowena Ravenclaw. You are much sssmarter than an insssufferably aloof Greek deity._

I rolled my eyes but remained silent. Aspen wound herself through my fingers and around my wrists, effectively securing herself in knots that only she could undo. Ensuring that she would have the ability to spy on my new altercation with Draco. I glared at her but shut her enclosure all the same, readying myself for the conversation I was about to have. 

 

"I didn't know you liked snakes." Draco remarked. Recognising the stupidity of this statement, he rescinded. "Then again, I didn't know you were into-- _dinosaurs_ \--either, so what do I _really_ know about you?" 

He shrugged in defeat as I sat down across from him, stroking Aspen. 

 

"Her name is Aspen," I noted. "She's a rosy boa. Very rare mutation she has. Most of her kind are more pink or orange in color. Only every once in a few generations is a perfect snow found."

 

"She's beautiful." Draco's eyes were transfixed. Though perhaps not directly on the boa I held next to my face.

 

"Would you like to hold her?"

 

"I suppose." Draco seemed reproachful.

 

"It's very simple. She will climb up your arm in a manner that is most comfortable for her. Just keep your fingers loose and allow her to grow accustomed to you."

She whispered in my ear before I handed her off:  _Hisss heartbeat isss erratic._  

I set Aspen in Draco's lap and she acted as she was expected to. I caught the wink she sent my way. 

 

"She's surprisingly docile." He patted her head fondly. 

I narrowed my eyes, sitting close enough to him that my knee touched his upper thigh. 

 

"Only until threatened. When frightened, she can be quite aggressive." 

Draco caught the undertone, shown in his facial expression as his lips hardened into a determined line. 

 

"Well, I'll be sure to tread carefully, then." His eyes darted back up to me. "I was wondering--where did you come from? I've never really talked to you before, despite your Slytherin status."

 

"I'm originally from the United States, to be honest. That's where the weird accent comes in. My parents are very American. They moved to Europe when I was about eight. Somehow, I got a Hogwarts letter when I was eleven."

He raised an eyebrow. 

 

"American, huh? That explains a lot." Draco returned his attention to the snake in his hands, thinking for a moment. "Do you miss it?"

 

"Not really. I mean, a little, but I was around adults pretty much my whole childhood so I didn't have any friends back home to miss. Here is where my friends are. And Slytherin is my family. They're so supportive and loyal, and they viciously defend each other. I'm glad I was sorted here."

 

"Very few people view us in a positive way. We have a bad reputation, mostly because of--" His breath hitched. 

 

"Voldy?" I supplied. "Yeah. I know. We were lucky to avoid the War, but I know what happened. I'm sorry. Speaking of which, what are you doing at Hogwarts, still? Aren't you technically absolved of the rest of your schooling?"

Draco snorted, his ears darkening a little as he returned my pet to my lap. 

 

"Unlike Saint Potter, some of us enjoy learning new things." He rolled his shoulders, seemingly uncomfortable. He took a moment before continuing. "I wanted to become a professor, the right way. Through furthering my knowledge. Despite my reputation for despising Hogwarts, I actually have impeccable grades. I had a lot of confliction over the War--my family saw to that." Draco finally met my eyes. "Some of us want to excell based on ability, not based on how famous we are." 

Yes, I knew. Harry Potter, the incredible Boy Who Lived. He was only an Auror for a week before he decided he hated it with a fiery burning passion. He returned to Hogwarts to do the thing he truly loved--teaching others. He had managed to skirt through a good six or so years of schooling due to his "practical intelligence" in dealing with the Dark Arts, according to McGonagall. 

 

I nodded, gracing my rosy's head with my pointer finger. "I can relate to that sentiment."  

Draco's smirk fell back into place. 

 

"Yes, it would seem so, considering your inherent ability to produce one of the greatest Defense spells in existence."

 

"Practice and lots of studying," I winked. "I took a page out of Hermione Grangers' book. Literally. It's a bestseller in some wizarding circles." 

 

"I'm not surprised. Hermione was always better than everyone else, even those of us who didn't want to admit it." He laughed. "She's kicked my ass more times than I could count."

 

"You probably deserved it."

 

"Of course I did, I was a snotty brat." 

 

"Indeed." I rose from the couch, bidding Draco to rise with me. 

 

"Leaving me so soon? I thought we were just getting started." Draco's fingers caught onto my robe, drawing me to pause. 

 

"I'm putting my snake back in her enclosure. Relax, Malfoy." 

He flinched. Hearing me say his last name must've made him squirm. I normally call all other students by their first names.

 

"Sorry." He released his hold, his cheeks flushing. "You're just the first person to _actually_ talk to me like I'm a human being. It's refreshing."

That hurt my heart.

 

After retreating to my room, Aspen eyed me with suspicion. 

 

_"Don't_ say a word," I muttered down at her, "I _know_ \--I'm completely and _utterly_ fucked."

She didn't waver. 

_And yet you can't find it in you to care. He will be the end of you._

 

"Yep. I'm in love with _the_ Draco Malfoy, and I can't seem to care."

I almost wanted to laugh.  _Error: Fucks not found._

 

 


End file.
